Enter the Symbiocene

Abstract

This project in Rotterdam, centered on the Meent, represents a new beginning for revitalizing the city with a Symbiocene mindset through architectural design. As urban populations grow, biodiversity declines and technology advances exponentially, it's imperative to address how we interact with our environment. The Manifesto advocates for eight key relationships to usher in the Symbiocene era: celebrate, master, connect, shelter, concert, make, recede, and familiarize.

The architectural design project aims to foster these relationships within a residential setting by renovating existing post-war buildings into a new kind of living space. The goal is to create an environment where residents can experience and cultivate these relationships through their daily lives.

The design includes various apartment typologies, including cohousing, within the renovated post-war block. The building is transformed into a canopy-like structure by removing internal boundaries and rewilding the courtyard, encouraging interaction with the living environment. Public access from the Meent side invites passersby to engage with the space, while the open grid scaffolding at the back provides a dynamic area where humans, non-humans, and more-than-humans can coexist and learn from one another.

Transitioning to the eight relationships detailed in the Manifesto:

Celebrate – Recognize and appreciate the gifts of our environment, inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer's concept of the Earth's gift economy. It calls for a celebration of Gaia, fostering gratitude and reverence for nature.
Master – Continuous learning and the pursuit of knowledge are crucial for understanding our environment. This relationship emphasizes an ongoing quest for understanding and mastery of our world.
Connect – Engage with the environment through sensory experiences and active participation to foster respect and responsibility towards nature.
Shelter – Balance protection and security with interaction with the natural world, avoiding isolation from the environment.
Concert – Collaborate with other species for a balanced ecosystem, understanding and respecting various forms of interaction within our ecosystem.
Make – Focus on the ethical implications of human creativity and design, fostering positive behavior and aligning with symbiotic dreams.
Recede – Step back and allow nature to reclaim spaces, appreciating and protecting neglected and abandoned areas for biodiversity and ecological balance.
Familiarize – Understand emerging technologies as new "species" with distinct behaviors and impacts, thoughtfully integrating technology to enhance our connection with the natural world.

As summarized, the project aims to create a living environment that not only houses people but also nurtures these eight relationships, fostering a deeper connection between residents and their surroundings. By reimagining the urban landscape in this way, we can move towards a more sustainable and harmonious future.